Phillies keep winning, top Cardinals 6-2

[May 18, 2018]    Vince Velasquez tossed 6 1/3 shutout innings Thursday night while Aaron Altherr delivered a two-run single in a three-run eighth inning as the Philadelphia Phillies dumped the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

 Phillies right fielder Aaron Altherr (23) is forced out at home plate by St. Louis Cardinals catcher Francisco Pena (46) during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Velasquez (4-4) gave up just five hits, walking two and fanning five. He left the game after center fielder Odubel Herrera and left fielder Rhys Hoskins played Matt Carpenter's fly ball into a one-out double in the seventh, advancing Dexter Fowler to third with the tying run.

Reliever Seranthony Dominguez cleaned up the mess. He induced a grounder from Francisco Pena that led to Fowler being retired -- shortstop Pedro Florimon's throw short-hopped the catcher, but Fowler pulled up and was retired in a rundown -- and then retired pinch hitter Greg Garcia on a fly ball to Herrera.

Altherr then touched Jordan Hicks for his hit, a looper over a drawn-in infield with the bases loaded, that gave Philadelphia a 3-0 lead. Herrera followed with an RBI double to cap the outburst.

The Cardinals scored twice in the eighth on Marcell Ozuna's fielder's-choice grounder with the bases loaded and an RBI single by Jedd Gyorko. But Florimon tacked on insurance in the ninth for the Phillies by jacking a two-run homer to right, his first of the year.

Philadelphia improved to 25-16, the first time since 2011 that the team has been nine games over .500 this late in the season. St. Louis lost for the sixth time in nine games and was held under three runs for the sixth time in that span.

The Cardinals lost despite getting a seven-inning outing from starter Luke Weaver, tying a career high. Weaver (3-3) permitted just four hits and a run, walking one and fanning six.

But Weaver's one mistake flew 437 feet to center field in the fifth. Carlos Santana pounced on a 1-0 fastball down and out over the plate, drilling it about three-fourths of the way up the grassy knoll behind the wall for his eighth homer.

St. Louis loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but Paul DeJong lined out and Ozuna bounced into a fielder's choice.

--Field Level Media

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